Waratahs set for Foley reunion as Japan fixture announced

Sun, Oct 27, 2024, 10:11 PM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson
Bernard Foley will potentially get the chance to face his old club after the Waratahs announced a fixture with Kubota Spears. Photo: Getty Images
Bernard Foley will potentially get the chance to face his old club after the Waratahs announced a fixture with Kubota Spears. Photo: Getty Images

The NSW Waratahs have announced they will face Japanese club Kubota Spears on November 29 as they ramp up their Super Rugby Pacific pre-season.

It will mark Dan McKellar's first game in charge of the new squad as they head to Tokyo for the hit-out.

Watch every game of the Wallabies Spring Tour live and exclusive on Stan Sport.

The clash doubles as a reunion with club legend Bernard Foley, who has been an instrumental figure in both the Spears and Waratahs' history.

Foley kicked the winning penalty in NSW's breakthrough 2014 Super Rugby title before moving overseas to Japan.

The former Wallaby led the point scoring in Japan Rugby League One in 2022-23 as they took out the title.

Kubota are coming off a sixth place finish last year, with Springbok Malcolm Marx amongst their star players.

They have also added Wales fullback Liam Williams, with four players named in Japan's side that went down to the All Blacks over the weekend.

As for the Waratahs, it'll be a perfect opportunity for McKellar to test out combinations after his return to Australian Rugby.

The NSW side will be without their Wallaby contingency, with their Australia XV players a chance to feature given they wrap up their matches 11 days before the match.

The likes of Miles Amatosero, Teddy Wilson and Charlie Gamble are amongst the players potentially pushing their cases to McKellar after missing selection, whilst the status of Rob Leota remains up in the air as he returns to injury.

It continues the partnership with the Japanese clubs, with the Queensland Reds currently on tour.

The Reds defeated Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in a closed-door trial on Sunday, with the official fixture slated for November 4 for the Saitama-Queensland Shield.

The Brumbies completed a similar tour in 2023, whilst the Western Force have just returned from a three-game series in South Africa.

At this stage, the match will not be broadcast online, kept exclusively for Spears members to attend.

Share
Rugby Australia Awards 2024 Finalists announced
Tane Edmed is soaking in his call up to the national squad. Photo: Getty Images
‘Over the moon’: Edmed settling into Wallaby camp, relishing friendly Donaldson competition
Who me? Meeting Japan's Josh Nasser Fan Club in Kumagaya
Japan Calling...Reds Tour Diary Part 1
The Wallabies are keeping their focus short-sighted ahead of the Grand Slam. Photo: Julius Dimataga/RA Media
Wise Wallabies making no promises for grand slam tour